Encyclopedia of Pain

2013 Edition
| Editors: Gerald F. Gebhart, Robert F. Schmidt

Viral Neuropathies

Reference work entry
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-28753-4_4777
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Synonyms

Nerve viral infection; Virus-induced nerve dysfunction

Definition

Neuropathies that are associated with viral infection.

Introduction

Virus-induced neuropathy is an important cause of painful peripheral neuropathies. Pain is often the most prominent symptom after a virus causes destruction to a nerve. The mechanisms by which viruses can induce pain include direct infection of neurons or nerve fibers; they may also cause indirect nerve destruction by activating an immune-mediated inflammatory response. In this chapter, we will focus on a few important viruses that may cause painful peripheral neuropathies.

Characteristics

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

Epidemiology

Distal sensory polyneuropathy (DSP) is a common neurologic complication and major cause of morbidity in HIV-infected patients (Gonzalez-Duarte et al. 2008). The estimated incidence of DSP is 30 %, with a prevalence ranging from 25 % to 53 % (Morgello et al. 2004). Risk factors that are associated with a higher...

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References

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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.NeurologyMount Sinai School of MedicineNew YorkUSA
  2. 2.Clinical Neurophysiology LaboratoriesMount Sinai Medical CenterNew YorkUSA